Whither LASU?

When will there be peace at the Lagos State University (LASU)? Management and workers are again at each other’s throat. The crisis stalled the institution’s 20th convocation last week. On Monday, the management closed the school for the forthcoming elections but the action did not go down well with the workers, reports ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA

The Lagos State University (LASU) has been hit by fresh crisis. Activities at the institution have been paralysed since last week following workers’ agitation. The crisis led to the postponement of the 20th convocation. To calm frayed nerves, management on Monday declared a recess for the forthcoming elections and directed staff and students to vacate the campus.

To the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), the directive is a strategy to break their ranks and stop their daily protest which started Monday, last week. They said only the Senate or the Governing Council, and not the management has the right to give such directive.

“They (management) are joking!” Chairman SSANU Saheed Oseni told The Nation on phone on Tuesday. “We are not going on any recess because LASU is not parliament. Management of other universities only suspended activities for the election; they did not ask their workers and students to leave the campuses. Besides, it is only the Senate or the Governing Council that has the right to close down the university and not management.

The genesis

Last March 16, management and graduating students were looking forward to the 20th convocation, which was preceded by Jumat and Christian interdenominational prayers the preceding weekend. Coconut breaking, which is a ritual for preceding convocations in LASU, was about to hold. The Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof John Obafunwa and other principal officers were already heading for the LASU main gate where the event usually holds when trouble started.

The government is unhappy with the development, warning the workers’ to be law abiding and stop seeing themselves as employers.

The crises

Workers appeared from nowhere, calling Obafunwa names and petting him with sachet water. By then, the workers had overpowered Campus Marshals, the internal security arm of LASU and blocked the two main gates with the union’s vehicles.

Amid shouts, they marched Obafunwa out of the university into a waiting vehicle amid tight security. The workers sang war songs and prevented policemen from the Iba Division, from entering the school.

Allegations against Obafunwa

The leadership of the unions accused Obafunwa of high handedness, double standard, stalling members’ promotion, and not following due process. Other allegations include discrediting workers’ certificates in the media and accusing same of corrpution, among others.

20th convocation postponed indefinitely

Following the crisis, the management postponed indefinately the convocation, saying a new date will be announced later.

A meeting between the workers and government representatives was a deadlock on Tuesday, last week. At the meeting, which dragged into the night, the workers tabled some of their demands before the governments.

Workers’ demands

•That Prof Obafunwa should proceed on terminal leave while one of his deputies steps into his shoes and presides over affairs of the university, including the forthcoming 20th Convocation.

•That the government begins a process for selecting a new vice-chancellor before his term expires on October 31.

•That the government set up a panel to reviews all past promotions and appointments under the administration and make necessary redress where errors are found to have been committed.

•That the management should pay workers outstanding salary arrears.

•That the government should compel the management to set up Budget Monitoring Committee for onward assessment of Federal Government intervention fund.

Meanwhile, the rank and file of the Students’ Union is divided over the choice of Obafunwa staying back or not.

On Friday, last week, the Students Union held a congress at the MBA Hall of the university where four major issues – school fees’refund, course registration, state of LASU and stable academic calendar, topped the agenda.

It was a heated debate that dragged for hours with some students pitching their tent with workers while others with management.

Congress decided that the government should respond to workers grievances. They, however, resolved that Obafunwa should return to school and complete his term.